Travel/Direct Payment

Policies & Procedures

TRAVEL PROCEDURES

A. Who Is Authorized to Travel?

Travel that may be authorized, and pursuant to which expense may be reimbursed, shall be limited to the following:

Travel that is necessary for the proper execution of official NSCC educational, research, or other institutional objectives;
Travel to and from meetings and conferences of a professional nature, which will increase the attending employee’s usefulness to the College;
Blanket Authorization - If an employee is routinely traveling for the purpose of official business for the college he/she may obtain in-state blanket authorization.
If an employee that does not have Blanket Authorization will need to submit an Travel Approval Form before any travel takes place.

B. Approvals (Effective September 1, 2018)

Approval for your travel (Request for Travel Approval) and travel reimbursement (Claim for Travel Expense) will follow the SciQuest Approvals based on the Organization Code.

C. Travel Advances

Normally, travel expenses should be paid when incurred by an employee, with reimbursement made to the employee for actual expenses upon proper submission of a request for travel. Advances to employees for anticipated travel may be made under certain circumstances found on the TBR Policy - Section VIII

D. Transportation

All travel must be by the most direct or expeditious route possible and any employee who travels by an indirect route must bear any extra expense occasioned thereby. See the In-state Per Diem Rates for details.

E. Lodging

In-state and out-of-state lodging expenses incurred while on authorized travel will be reimbursable to the maximum shown on the Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule. Sales taxes on lodging costs will be reimbursable. Higher rates for lodging at the location of a workshop or conference will be allowed up to the amount indicated in the workshop or conference brochure. The workshop or conference brochure that indicates the lodging rates must be included with the Request for Travel Approval Form.

Per TBR Policy, the NSCC Travel Office Procurement card can only to be used where the payment of registration fees and required advance payment for airline or hotel payments is mandated the conference organizer.

The majority of registration fees for conferences require pre-payment in advance to secure reserved spaces. The NSCC Travel Office procurement card can be used to pay these fees since payment if required in advance.
Airline fee payments require payment in advance to secure reserved spots. The NSCC Travel Office procurement card can also be used in this event to secure prepayment of these fees.
Hotel stays can only be pre-paid with the NSCC Travel Office procurement card when the conference/travel being attended includes the hotel stay as part of the registration fee and is required to be paid in advance. All other hotel reservations will have to secured and paid by the conference participant using their personal financial sources. Reimbursement will be made after the actual travel event has transpired.

F. Meals and Incidentals

Meals while on authorized travel will be reimbursed, subject to the meal allowance provided on the Meals & Incidental Breakdown for In-State travel & the GSA website for Out-of-State travel. The maximum per diem rates include a fixed allowance for meals and incidental expenses (M&I). The M&I rate, or fraction thereof, is payable to the traveler without itemization of expenses or receipts. Incidentals are intended to include miscellaneous costs associated with travel such as tips for baggage handling, phone calls home, etc. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions for further information.

G. Miscellaneous Expenses

See the In-state Per Diem Rates for details.

H. Claims (Effective September 1, 2018)

The Non-Travel /Direct Payment Request form in SciQuest shall be used for reimbursement of all expenses not related to traveling. All receipts relating to the appropriate expenses must be attached with the request. Please view the supporting documentation section to see how these items need to be attached to the form.

The Claim for Travel Expense form shall be used for reimbursement of travel expenses. The form must show detail of expenses on a daily basis and be approved by the appropriate approving authorities prior to reimbursement. Scanned receipts for appropriate expenses must be attached with the claim. Please view the supporting documentation section to see how these items need to be attached to the form. Provide an explanation on the form for any expenses incurred that were not detailed on the travel approval request, or were for a greater amount than the amount approved.

All claims should be submitted no later than 30 days after completion of the trip. Claims submitted after this period must include written explanation for the delay.

I. Supporting Documentation (Effective September 1, 2018)

The following procedures should be followed when submitting supporting documentation with Non-Travel/Direct Payment Requests, Request for Travel Approval, or Claim for Travel Expenses. Please Note: This procedure does not change the approval flow procedure; the only change is to the supporting documents format process

Document Preparation

Do not highlight information… Just circle the information instead of highlighting. When circling information do not cross through any information on the receipt or invoice.
Do not use dark colored post it/sticky notes and do not cover up any information with a note.
Make sure to scan ALL supporting documentation and upload with your SciQuest form.
Remember to keep all original supporting documentation for your records.

Preparing Loose Receipts

All supporting documentation that is smaller than a standard 8½” X 11” sheet of paper, such as receipts, forms, invoices or notes, can be taped down to a standard 8½” X 11” sheet of paper.
Do not tape over totals/figures, dates or business names. Do not write on the back of receipts.
For long receipts, similar to grocery receipts, the receipt may need to be cut to fit on an 8 ½ X 11 (letter size) sheet of paper.
Feel free to use white paper that has already been gently used once. The side that has receipts on it should not have any printing on it.

J. In-State Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule

See the In-state Per Diem Rates for details.

K. Out-of-State Travel Reimbursement Rate Schedule

The maximum reimbursement rates for out-of-state travel are the same as those maintained by the US General Services Administration for federal employees within the continental United States(CONUS).

The CONUS list contains a standard reimbursement rate for lodging, meals and incidentals and several pages of exceptions. Most destinations for out-of-state travel fall within the list of exceptions. The CONUS list is available on the General Services Administration web site:http://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/21287

L. Commuter Mileage

Nashville State Community College follows TBR's General Travel Policy for Personally-Owned Automobiles, however Nashville State Community College uses the following instead of TBR's Policy.

III. Transportation
- E. Automobile Travel
  - b. Personally-Owned Automobiles
    - (5) Commuter Mileage
      - (d) If an employee begins or ends his/her trip at his/her residence without stopping at his/her official station, reimbursable mileage will be the lesser of the mileage from the employee’s residence to his/her destination less normal commute mileage or his/her official station to the destination.

Visit TBR's business and finance travel policy for the most up-to-date information.

DIRECT PAYMENT REQUEST PROCEDURES (EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2018)

Payments to vendors and reimbursements to employees or individuals may be processed via the Non-Travel/Direct Payment process. Complete a Non-Travel/Direct Payment from in SciQuest, attach the invoice or receipts, and submit to the Travel and Budget Department via SciQuest.

Emergency Purchases under $500
Business Expense Reimbursements (non-travel)
Dues/Memberships/Accreditation Fees
Webinar Registration/Tests/Certifications
Background Check Services
Guest Speakers - Honorarium
Permit/License fees (excluding software licenses)
Insurance (Student Liability)
Student Scholarships (Foundation)
Student Stipends & Awards
S. Postage Meter Request (No Stamps)
Advertising (Newspaper, Online, etc.)
Sports Fees
Field Trip Fees
Reimbursement to individuals for non-travel related supplies, approved food purchases and services purchased up to $50 per transaction. Any request for reimbursement above $50.00 should include an approved memo explaining why the item could not be purchased using normal purchasing channels.

A. Sales Tax Guide

If you make non-travel business-related purchases for your department, payment must be made directly by Nashville State Community College (direct purchase) to receive sales tax exemption. This means that the only acceptable forms of payment are the College issued purchasing card and College issued check. The sales tax exemption CANNOT be used when an employee pays for items with personal funds (cash, check or credit card) even if the employee will be reimbursed by the College later.

B. Example A – Taxable Purchase

An instructor purchases classroom supplies using their personal credit card. The instructor must pay applicable sales tax at the time of purchase. They submit their receipt requesting reimbursement on a Payment Request form. Because the transaction is not a direct purchase, the sales tax is not reimbursable because the employee has used their personal funds for the purchase.

C. Example B – Non-Taxable Purchase

Lab Assistant purchases non-consumable supplies for Biology Lab at Publix using Nashville State Community College purchasing card for the transaction. A sales tax exemption certificate has been obtained prior to making the purchase. This purchase meets the “direct purchase” requirement and exempt from paying sales tax.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAVEL

Professional Development activities approved for College funding must be submitted on a Request for Professional Development Funds (Form X) and have the approval of the Dean, Vice President and Director of Human Resources. The faculty/staff member must also have an approved Request for Travel Approval form on file in the Travel Office at least two weeks prior to travel date in order to be reimbursed for approved expenses.

When you receive your approved funding notification (Form X form) for professional development you should start with your travel plans immediately by submitting a Request for Travel Approval form for conference, workshops and professional activities incurring fees for participation and travel-related expenses. Please submit a copy of your approved Form X with your Request for Travel Approval form and travel documentation regarding all expected travel-related expenses, i.e., per diem rates, conference information, transportation costs, etc. All professional development training and travel is subject to TBR General Travel 4:03:03:00 policy and NSCC Travel Guidelines.

Please see the NSCC Travel Webpage for information, forms and procedures.

IN-STATE PER DIEM RATES (EFFECTIVE -JANUARY 1ST, 2024)

Transportation	Reimbursement Rate	Receipt Required
Personally-Owned Vehicles Mileage allowance includes all operating expenses such as gas, oil and repairs.	$0.67 per mile	Rand/McNally or MapQuest to determine point-to-point mileage
Other Transportation	Reimbursement Rate	Receipt Required
Rental Cars	Actual Cost	Yes
Parking Fees with Receipt(s)	Actual Cost	Yes
Parking Fees without Receipt(s)	Up to $8.00 per day	No
Taxi/Limousine/Shuttle/Subway Fares	Actual Cost	No
Tolls & Ferries	Actual Cost	No
General In-State Lodging Expense	Reimbursement Rate	Meals & Incidentals
Level I Locations: Davidson County/Nashville	$242.00 per day + tax Receipt Required	$79.00 - Full Day $59.25 - 75% Day of Departure & Return
Level II Locations: Anderson County, Gatlinburg, Hamilton County/Chattanooga, Knox County/Knoxville, Shelby County/Memphis, Pigeon Forge, Sullivan County/Bristol & Kingsport, Williamson County/Franklin, Montgomery County/Clarksville, Putnam County/Cookeville, Rutherford County and Washington County (Includes Paris Landing, Montgomery Bell, Natchez Trace, Pickwick, Fall Creek Falls, & Henry Horton State Parks)	$130.00 per day + tax Receipt Required	$59.00 - Full Day $44.25 - 75% Day of Departure & Return
Level III Locations: All other counties and cities not listed in Level I or Level II Locations	$112.00 per day + tax Receipt Required	$59.00 - Full Day $44.25 - 75% Day of Departure & Return
Standard Out-State Lodging	Reimbursement Rate	Meals & Incidentals
All Locations Listed in CONUS	CONUS Rate per day + tax	CONUS Rate
All Locations NOT Listed in CONUS	Standard Rate $89.00 per day + tax	$46.00 Full Day
Conference Hotels Stays at Conference Hotels.....require a conference brochure or conference hotel reservation form listing rate and a copy must be attached to the Request for Travel Approval.	Actual Rate per day + tax
Miscellaneous Expense	Reimbursement Rate	Receipt Required
Registration	Actual Cost	Yes
Personal Expenses	No Reimbursement Included in M&I Per Diem	Not Available
Telephone/Fax/Internet	Actual Cost	Yes
Handling (Equipment/Promotional Material)	$20.00 per hotel	No

Please note that the rates are intended to cover meals, tips and other incidentals. Please also be reminded if meals are provided as part of a conference/workshop the value of any meals provided should be subtracted either from a full day of travel or first and last day of travel per diem according to the following chart.

The following table lists the meal and incidental expense breakdown for the reimbursement rate for meals within CONUS.

Full Day Per Diem	$59.00	$64.00	$69.00	$74.00	$79.00
Breakfast	$13.00	$14.00	$16.00	$17.00	$18.00
Lunch	$15.00	$16.00	$17.00	$18.00	$20.00
Dinner	$26.00	$29.00	$31.00	$34.00	$36.00
Incidentals	$5.00	$5.00	$5.00	$5.00	$5.00
Meals & Incidentals Per Diem for First & Last Day of Travel
75% of Full Day Per Diem	$44.25	$48.00	$51.75	$55.50	$59.25
Breakfast	$9.75	$10.50	$12.00	$12.75	$13.50
Lunch	$11.25	$12.00	$12.75	$13.50	$15.00
Dinner	$19.50	$21.75	$23.25	$25.50	$27.00
Incidentals	$3.75	$3.75	$3.75	$3.75	$3.75